It is hard to know where life will take you, and this was especially true for Walter Remak. In 1936, as a young man from Berlin, Walter fled Nazi Germany for the safe haven of South Africa. After arriving, Walter returned to the fray, fighting against the Nazis in the South African Army. His experience with the South African people, including their warmth and willingness to accept him, gave him a lifelong gratitude toward the country.
Ten years later, Walter moved to the United States to reunite with his family. He had a passion for horse racing and for 30 years owned racehorses that competed at West Coast tracks, including Longacres and Emerald Downs. For his 80th birthday, Walter's family offered to take him to the Kentucky Derby, but he declined. Instead, he asked them to help him set up a scholarship at the University of Washington that would enable students in the health professions to serve the people of South Africa. As a result, a fund was established at the School of Public Health to give back to the country that helped save his life.
The Walter Remak Scholarship Fund benefits students in the School of Public Health, undergraduate or graduate, who plan to work in South Africa, regardless of the student's country of origin. The funds can be applied towards a variety of expenses that are related, implicitly or explicitly, to their work in South Africa. It is an inspiring example of a way to support diverse needs within the School and abroad.
After Walter passed away at age 91, his son Ben and daughter-in-law Nancy continued to honor Walter's legacy by supporting the scholarship in his name. The fund, now in its 20th year, has assisted six students who are making an impact in South Africa and beyond. Said Nancy, "Whenever we support the fund, we think of Ben's dad and how much it meant to him. When we have the opportunity to meet the recipients and hear their stories, we realize how special his visits with the students were for him."
If you are interested in supporting the Remak Scholarship or establishing a fund of your own in the School of Public Health, please contact Megan Ingram at 206-616-7197 or mkingram@uw.edu.